Camera erecting system



Primary Examiner-Norton Ansher Assistant Examiner-Alan MathewsAttorney-Brown and Mikulka and Alfred E. Corrigan ABSTRACT: A foldingcamera including components of the cameras exposure system pivotallycoupled to each other and an erecting system for supporting the camerain an erect position. A first component includes means for supportingWilliam J. Rosen Dorchester, Massachusetts 748,773 July 30, 1968 [45]Patented Dec. 1, 1970 Polaroid Corporation Cambridge, Massachusetts acorporation of Massachusetts United States Patent [72] Inventor [211App]. No.

[22] Filed [73] Assignee meme Dec. 1910 Sheet I of 3 INVENTOR.

BY 61% M mm.

445044 6. Cate? I ATTORNEYS Patel fled Dec. "1-, 1910 Z of 3 Sheet I NVENTOR.

mgwaaaczm ATTOR N E CAMERA ERECTING SYSTEM This invention relates to anerecting system for a folding camera. Folding cameras of the typedisclosed herein generally include a plurality of members pivotallycoupled to each other for movement between a collapsed or foldedposition and an extended or operative position in which the membersdefine an exposure chamber, the members being supported in the extendedposition by an erecting system. In the folded position the camerapresents itself as a small, compact and easily handleable object whichcan be carried readily in a coat pocket or pocketbook. However, thiscompactness presents the problem of providing the erecting system withenough space in which to function without sacrificing the compactness ofthe camera. Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide in afolding camera an erecting system the components of which are so coupledas to restrict their range of movement to a minimum thereby preservingthe compactness of the camera in its folded or collapsed position.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a camera of theforegoing type including a first member having means for supportingphotosensitive material in position for exposure and a second memberincluding means for reflecting an image onto said photosensitivematerial, an erection system for coupling said members to each other toprovide for a rigid means to support and maintain said members in apredetermined spacial relationwhen said members are in an extendedposition.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a camera of theforegoing type including an erecting system having a pair of pivotallycoupled links for supporting members of the camera in an extendedposition, means associated with each of the links for preventingrelative movement therebetween in the extended position.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the apparatus possessing theconstruction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which areexemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of theapplication of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a camera embodying the invention shownin its extended or operative position;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view partly in section of a camera incorporatingan erecting system embodying the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the erecting system as it appears whenthe camera is between the extended or operative position and a collapsedor folded position.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings wherein there isshown a camera, generally designated 10, comprising a housing includinga first or rear section 12, a second housing section 14, a third section16, and a fourth section 18. The first housing section 12 may becharacterized as the rear housing section and is adapted to hold a filmpack or assemblage of film units comprising a plurality of film unitsadapted to be exposed within the film pack and advanced through thecamera. The first housing section is pivotally connected near one end tosecond housing section 14 at pivots 22 (only one of which is shown) andat its opposite end to third housing section 16 at a hinge 24. Housingsections 14 and 16 are coupled to fourth housing section 18 at,respectively, hinges 26 and 28 having axes arranged in generallyparallel relation with the axis of pivots 22 and hinge 24. The housingsections cooperate to form, in effect, a fourbar linkage which ismovable between an operative or extended position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2in which the housing sections are spaced apart to provide four sides ofan exposure chamber and a folded or collapsed position in which thefirst and second housing sections are located end to end substantiallyin a line and the third and fourth housing sections are located in linewith one another and in face-to-face adjacency with the first and secondhousing sections.

First housing section 12 which comprises one component of the camerasexposure system in that it supports a film unit in position for exposureincludes a generally rectangular rear wall 30, dependent sidewalls 32and a door 34, pivoted about hinge 24, and adapted to be retained in aclosed position by a latch 36 and to be opened to permit loading of afilm pack 20 into the camera housing.

The camera is adapted to be employed with a film pack 20 of the typeshown and described in greater detail in the copending U.S. Pat.application of Edwin H. Land, Ser. No. 655,850, filed July 25, 1967 andincorporating a plurality of film units of the type shown and describedin the U.S. Pat. application of Edwin H. Land, Ser. No. 622,287 andEdwin H. Land et al. Ser. No. 622,286, both filed March 10, 1967. Filmpack 20 includes a plurality of film units arranged in stacked relationwith the film unit closest the forward wall of the pack located inposition for exposure and each film unit is adapted, following exposure,to be withdrawn from the film pack and processed to form a visible imageby a processing mechanism incorporated in the camera. To position thefilm pack and the film units therein for exposure, the first housingsection includes an inner wall or focal plane plate 38 spaced from rearwall 30 in position to locate the forwardmost film unit for exposure andincluding a rectangular exposure aperture 40 through which light may betransmitted for exposing the forwardmost film unit in the film pack.

Since film pack 20 is tapered, as shown, toward its trailing end, innerwall 38 may be mounted for pivotal movement away from rear wall 30 inthe manner described in the aforementioned Land U.S. Pat. application inorder to facilitate loading of a film pack into the camera when door 34is opened for this purpose.

The processing system of the camera includes a pair of pressure-applyingrolls 42 and 44 mounted in juxtaposition near the leading end of thefilm pack and means, described in detail in the aforementioned U.S. Pat.application Ser. No. 655,850, for feeding the exposed film units intothe bite of the rolls and rotating the rolls to distribute a processingliquid within the exposed film unit while advancing the latter from thefilm pack between the rolls and from the camera. Rolls 42 and 44 may bemounted in either the first or second housing sections or, as shown inFIG. 2, roll 42 is mounted in both with the axis of pivots 22 beingcoincident with the axis of roll 42. An opening 46 is provided in thesecond housing section to permit advancement of a film unit, duringprocessing, between rolls 42 and 44 from the camera housing.

Second housing section 14 is generally parallelepiped shaped, is engagedbetween sidewalls 32 of the first housing section and is pivotable withrespect to the first housing section about the axis of roll 42. Thesecond housing section includes outer wall 48 which, in the foldedposition of the camera housing, is located in essentially the same planeas rear wall 30, and in the extended or operative position of the camerahousing, functions as the forward wall of the camera. Suitable openingsare provided to admit light into the camera lens, and the second housingsection includes an outer wall 50 which, in the folded position of thecamera, constitutes an end wall of the camera and in the extendedposition of the camera functions as one of the upper walls of the camerahousing; and sidewalls 52 are engaged between side walls 32 of the rearhousing section. A conventional photographic objective lens designated54 is mounted within the second housing section with the lens axisdisposed perpendicularly to the outer or forward wall 48 such that lighttransmitted through the lens along the axis is directed, in theoperative position of the camera housing, away from and at an acuteangle with respect to the focal plane plate; and in the folded positionof the camera housing, the axis of lens 54 extends approximately perpendicularly to the focal plane plate. The second housing section alsoincludes an inner or rear wall 56 disposed in generally parallelrelation with outer wall 48 and provided with an aperture 58 fortransmitting light from lens 54.

Third housing section 16 which comprises another component of theexposure system includes an outer wall 60 pivotally connected at one endvia hinge 24 to rear housing section 12, and dependent sidewalls 62engaged between sidewalls 32 of the rear housing section. Wall 60supports a substantially planar and preferably front surface mirror 64on the inside of wall 60 for reflecting light from lens 54 toward a filmunit positioned for exposure behind aperture 40 in focal plane plate 38.The angle at which the axis of lens 54 intersects mirror 64 in theoperative position of the camera housing is preferably greater than 45in order to provide for a more compact camera structure and mirror 64 istrapezoidal in shape with the end of the mirror closest hinge 28 andlens 54 being narrower than the opposite end of the mirror.

A conventional viewfinder, generally designated 66, may be mountedwithin third housing section adjacent one side of mirror 64 and includesentrance and exit apertures provided with mirrors at opposite ends ofthe third housing section.

Fourth housing section 18 comprises an outer wall 68 pivotally connectedat one end at hinge 28 to outer wall 60 of third housing section 16 andalong its opposite end at hinge 26 to the second housing section 14, anddependent sidewalls 70 engaged between sidewalls 62 of third housingsection 16 and outside of the ends of second housing section 14 so thatin the folded position of the camera housing, the third and fourthhousing sections are located between sidewalls 32 of the first housingsection and the sidewalls 52 of the fourth housing section are locatedbetween the sidewalls 70 of the third housing section 18.

The camera includes means for light sealing the camera housing toprovide a lighttight optical path between the lens mirror and focalplane plate. These means comprise an envelope formed of a thin opaqueelastomeric material such as rubber, neoprene, silicone rubber and thelike. The envelope includes a main body section comprising sidewalls 82and end walls 84 and 86 joined to one another to form a pyramid ortapered tube including openings at opposite ends; and an ex tendedsection including sidewalls 88, a forward wall 90, and a rear wall 92joined to one another to form another tapered tube open at one end andjoined at its other end to end wall 86 at an opening 94 therein. In theextended position, the envelope provides a chamber or containerincluding a tapered main section open at opposite ends and a taperedsecondary section joined to one side of the main section and open at itsend. Rigid frames 96, '98, and 100 are provided at the openings in theenvelope with walls 82, 84 and 86 being secured in a lighttight manneralong their edges to frame 96 and along their opposite edges to frame98, and walls 88, 90, and 92 being secured at their edges to frame 100.Frames 96 and 100 may be rectangular in shape with the opening in frame96 corresponding in size and shape to exposure aperture 40 in focalplane plate 38 and the opening in frame 100 being sufficiently large soas not to vignette or block lens 54. Frame 98 is preferably trapezoidalin shape and includes an opening corresponding to mirror 64. Frames 96,98, and 100 provide means for securing the envelope in a lighttightmanner to, respectively, focal plane plate 38 around aperture 40, rearwall 60 around mirror 64 and inner wall 56 around aperture 58 to providea lighttight chamber through which light may be transmitted from lens 54to mirror 64 and thence through aperture 40 to an image-recording mediumlocated behind the aperture.

The dimensions of the walls of the envelope are such that the walls arein a stressed condition and assume generally planar configurations whenthe camera housing is in an operative or extended condition; and most ofthe walls are in a substantially relaxed condition when the camera is ina folded condition. The flexibility, elasticity, and thickness of thematerial comprising the envelope permits the camera to be folded andunfolded repeatedly and requires very little space for the envelope whenthe camera is folded thereby further contributing to the compactness ofthe camera structure while insuring lighttightness where required. For amore detailed description of the envelope, reference is made to thecopending U.S. Pat. application of Irving Erlichman, U.S. Ser. No.663,719, filed Aug. 28, 1967.

in accordance with the invention, the camera includes an erecting systemfor guiding the housing sections between an extended or operativeposition and a collapsed or folded position. The erecting system,generally designated 110, is comprised of a first link 112 pivotallycoupled at 114 to one end of a latch plate 140 attached to housingsection 12. A second smaller link 116 has one end thereof pivotallycoupled at 117 to a bracket 119 attached to housing section 16 and itsother end pivotally coupled at 118 to a portion of link 112 intermediateits ends. The coupling 118 comprises a lost-motion connection andincludes a projection, e.g., pin 120, mounted on link 112 and anelongated slot 122 formed in link 116. As can be seen in FIG. 3, links112, 116 are provided with a U- shaped configuration, as viewed in crosssection, to provide for greater strength and for allowing link 116 tonest within link 112 when the links and camera housings are in thefolded or extended positions The free end 124 of link 112 is providedwith a projection 126 mounted between the legs of film U- shaped link112 and with a tab 128. Projection 126 is adapted to enter aperturelocated in link 116 to maintain the links 112, 116 rigidly coupled toeach other when the camera is in the extended position shown in FIG. 1.In this latter position, i.e., the extended position links 112, 116cooperate to form, in effect, a single rigid connection between sections12 and 16. They also cooperate with sections 12 and 16 to define atriangular support structure thereby providing a rigid construction formaintaining a predetermined spacial relation between the mirror 64 andthe film unit positioned for exposure in section 12 when the camera isin the extended position.

A release button 132, mounted on housing section 16, has an end portion134 adapted to engage tab 128 when button 132 is moved to the right (asviewed in FIG. 3) for moving projection 126 out of aperture 130 to allowthe erecting system to move to the collapsed position. Release button132 is spring loaded to the left (as viewed in FIG. 2) by a spring 136.Button 132 has at its other end an inclined portion 138 which cooperateswith latch plate mounted on housing 12 to cam button 132 to the rightuntil latch plate 140 can enter slot 139 to maintain the camera in thecollapsed position.

In operation, when it is desired to collapse or fold the camera, releasebutton 132 is moved to the right (as viewed in FIG. 3) to move end 134into engagement with tab 128 to remove projection 126 from aperture 130.Once the projection 126 is removed from locking engagement with link116, link 112 continues to rotate about pivot 114 in a clockwise mannerwhile link 116 rotates about pin 120 in a counterclockwise manner. Links112, 116 continue to rotate about their respective pivots until theyapproach a nearly horizontal position (as viewed in FIG. 3), i.e.,parallel with wall 30. Due to the geometry of the camera, any furthermovement of link 116 toward the horizontal position would result in link112 rotating to a position below the horizontal were it not for theelongation of slot 122. By elongating slot 122, link 116 can continue torotate in a counterclockwise manner until link 112 assumes thehorizontal position. At this time continued rotation of link 116 towardsthe horizontal position will cause slot 122 to move linearly as well asrotate about pin 120 without imparting any further movement to link 112.Thus, it should be readily apparent that by limiting the are throughwhich link 112 rotates, the compactness of the camera is maintained.

From the foregoing it can be seen that applicant has disclosed a simpleand inexpensive erecting system for a folding camera wherein the rangeof movement of the components of the system is restricted therebypreserving the compactnessof the camera in its folded condition.

Since certain changes may be made in the above apparatus withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention herein involved, it isintended that all matter contained in the above description or shown inthe accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and notin a limiting sense.

Iclaim:

1. A folding camera having an exposure system including first and secondmembers pivotally coupled to each other for movement between a foldedposition and an extended position in which said first and second membersdefine two sides of a triangle and occupy a predetermined spacialrelation relative to each other, said first member including means forsupporting photosensitive material in position for exposure and saidsecond member including reflecting means for reflecting an image ontosaid photosensitive material positioned for exposure comprising, incombination:

erecting means including first and second links for retaining said firstand second members in said folded and extended positions, said firstlink being pivotally coupled at one end thereof to one of said members,said second link being pivotally coupled at one end thereof to the otherof said members; lost-motion means coupling the other end of said secondlink to said first link intermediate the ends thereof to allow saidsecond link to move relative to said first link as said first and secondmembers approach said folded position without imparting motion to saidfirst link; and detent means for releasably locking said first andsecond links for maintaining said first and second members in saidextended position, said first and second links defining the third sideof said'triangle in said extended position.

2. A folding camera as defined in claim 1 wherein said detent meanscomprises means defining an aperture in one of said first and secondlinks and a projection on the other of said links adapted to move intolocking engagement with said aperture during movement of said first andsecond members into said extended position.

3. A folding camera as defined in claim 2 further including releasemeans mounted on said-one member for moving said projection out of saidaperture and retainer means mounted on said other member adapted toengage said release means for releasably retaining said first and secondmembers in said folded position.

4. A folding camera as defined in claim 3 wherein at least one of saidfirst and second links has a U-shaped configuration in cross section forreceiving the other link when said first and second members are in saidfolded position.

